Unfortunately one the best arcade game of 2009 The Shadow Complex is developed for Xbox 360 and our PC gamers will definitely miss the fun. Developed by Chair Entertainment, the game boast a realistic graphics and visual effects of a first-person shooter applied to a classic side-scrolling adventure.
Told within the same mythology as Orson Scott Card’s Empire novel, the player controls a hero who tries to save his girlfriend by blasting enemies while jumping, shooting, climbing and crouching through multitiered levels. The game will remind you the legendary titles from my past; Out Of This World, Prince of Persia, Castlevania, and the one it most parallels, Metroid.
Shadow Complex is a side-scrolling third-person shooter that looks three-dimensional but operates like the old 2D shooters from the arcade era. You play Jason, out in the woods with girlfriend Claire for a spot of relaxing pot-holing. But Claire, impetuously descending into a cave, is kidnapped by a shadowy paramilitary organisation that occupies a vast underground complex. As he searches for Claire, he acquires abilities such as shooting and grenade-lobbing, and encounters increasing numbers of enemies.
Rigorously, you would describe Shadow Complex as a 2.5D game: Jason can’t move into and out of the screen, but can shoot into it, thanks to an unusual targeting system which adds a laser-sight to your gun (like Resident Evil) and is controlled by pointing the right-stick.
Weapons are powerful against enemies and they don’t really offer a challenge, unless you are playing on the harder difficulties. There are a few boss battles against Metal Gear-style robots, but they are fairly easy as the game tells you how to kill them, which is a bit disappointing. In terms of visuals, Shadow Complex is impressive for an XBLA game. Cutscenes are on par with any Epic game and the game itself runs smoothly and looks good. Voice-acting and the soundtrack are both great and fit the game well. Overall, its impressive in both visuals and gameplay.
Though Shadow Complex’s designers reached back into the past for a classic side-scrolling feel, the game uses the often-praised Unreal Engine, the same technology used to design Gears of War, Bioshock and Army of Two, to achieve a realistic look and lifelike physics.
Tags: arcade, jason, metroid, microsoft, review, shadow complex game, side scrolling, Xbox 360